Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Oh, I'm sure we will," Rhea grinned, helping Rhiannon to munch on the food safely. "Aurin asked Artemis yesterday for some harnesses for the twins, so hopefully they'll be ready when we arrive."

"I told him not to rush," Aurin grinned, bouncing an energetic Xion on his knee, "we could always go to the festival without the harnesses, they're more for the future ... but he was quite eager to have them ready for us today."

Rhea giggled. "Aye, they'd run all the day if we let them," she winked. "They'll be a year old in a few weeks, but they almost seem older. I know I don't have much experience with other children to compare them to, but they seem to be growing faster."

"Well, I can suggest two possible explanations for that," Earendil spoke up. "First off, if they have any of your empathic gift, that could help ... and second, what generation is Aurin?"

He looked over at the Captain, who looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well," Aurin mused, "I'd never thought about it, but from what I can remember ... fourth?"

"But there are some elves that are quite old, and among the first generations," Earendil explained to Miyuki, "whose children grow quickly and tall, even now. It seems that Rhiannon and Xion may have inherited the older blood."

"And that of the Valar," Rhea added with a glance towards her mother.

"Better watch out once their gifts start to appear," Earendil grinned. "Who knows what they might have in store?"

"Yes, well," Rhea laughed softly, blushing, "that was before I could control myself. But hopefully I can also use my gift to keep them from getting out of hand, if they're anything like me. At the very lease, whatever mischief they might cause, I'll probably be able to fix."

"Let us hope so," Aurin smiled.

Rhea smiled down at Miyuki. "Well," she began, "I have the ability to ... shall we say, absorb powers from those around me, among other things. When I was very young, smaller than you are now, I wasn't able to control my power, and I caused a lot of accidents. I once caused flowers to grow out of the floor in Leyenda's grandparents' house, and made it rain all over myself ... and others."

Her eyes sparkled at the memory. "I was so afraid back then ... I loved the magic, but I was frightened of it at the same time. But now, whatever magic the twins might have, in theory I will also be able to use it, and so right whatever trouble may come of it."

"It is, now that I can control it," Rhea agreed happily. "Though I didn't think so back then."

"At any rate," Earendil spoke up, "we really should just eat and get going. We don't want to miss the opening of the celebrations!"

And indeed, it was a very brief breakfast, and very soon they were all of them on their way to the city: Earendil with Lin and Miyuki; Leyenda and Kelirahc with Amalirahc; Adonai, Shael, Aurin, Rhea, the twins, Vergil and Cindy; all of the others weren't at breakfast, and were making their own preparations for the festival.

Even before they reached the gates of the city, music could be heard being played in the streets. Once they were inside the city, they could see that the streets were lined with decorations, and everywhere were people celebrating already even so early in the morning.

From a side street, Miyuki and Amalirahc's friends appeared in a group, all of them dressed in their finest. The girls had ribbons in their hair, the boys on their tunics, and each of them had a small purse at their waists with a few coins.

"Miyuki!" Chiera exclaimed, catching sight of their friends. "Amalirahc! Come on! Hurry! The queen is coming!"

The other children joined in the call. "Hurry, you two! The queen is coming! There's going to be a parade! Hurry!"

Amalirahc looked up at his parents. "May I?"

Leyenda laughed. "Of course. Go on. Just be careful."

"I will!" Amalirahc beamed. "Miyuki, are you coming?"

"Just be careful," Earendil chuckled. "We'll see you later."

"Later!" Amalirahc grinned, grabbing Miyuki's hand and running after the other children.

Vergil looked up at Cindy. "May I go with them, Mother?" he asked her in the Common Tongue, the only language he knew yet.